OLD TOWN, Maine — City councilors voted 5-2 to sell an island in the Penobscot River near Riverfront Park to a Milford man who plans to use it for summer seating associated with an eatery using the old railroad car that once was part of Captain Nick’s restaurant in Bangor.
Michael Thornton, who owns land adjacent to Edging & Drift Island on Center Street, also known as Route 2, is planning to use the train car as a part of a restaurant. His property is near Dave’s Service Center.
“He would like to put in a walking bridge [to the island] for seating with picnic tables,” City Assessor Travis Roy told councilors before the full city council voted.
Roy recently contacted all the abutting landowners and the Penobscot Indian Nation about purchasing the property, and none showed interest. The Penobscot representative did express an interest in helping with a marker to signify the island’s history and connections to their culture and wanted to be kept informed about Thornton’s progress, the assessor said.
The sale of Edging & Drift Island to Thornton for $10,000 is conditional on the new owner attaining state and federal approval for his plans, council president David Mahan said repeatedly before the vote was taken.
“It’s not like we’re getting the check tonight,” he said.
“This is just going to give him the OK to move forward,” Mahan said later. “At least we’re not stopping him from researching [the plans.]”
Councilors Carol May, citing safety concerns, and Linda McLeod, who was displeased about approving the sale without hearing from the state’s Department of Environmental Protection or U.S. Army Corps, opposed the island sale.
Councilor Stan Peterson argued that approving the sale would show residents they were taking action to help revitalize the city.
“What is better for Old Town?” Peterson said, adding Thornton’s plan protects green space, adds future tax revenue and a restaurant to the city.
The restaurant comes with a lot of history. Thornton Construction was hired to demolish the former Captain Nick’s building on Union Street in Bangor in November, and Thornton acquired the old train car that sat beside the building, which has eight booths for seating inside.
Until it closed in June, Captain Nick’s was a popular seafood restaurant that had been operating at 1165 Union St. since it opened in 1985. Before that, the building was home to Chuck Wagon Restaurant.
During the meeting, councilors also approved a new yellow and red blinking traffic light for the junction of Brunswick and Center streets.
“Between 2011 and 2013, there were 30 crashes at that site,” Old Town police Chief Scott Wilcox said.
The Maine Department of Transportation is pitching in $20,000 for the light, and the city will cover maintenance.